February 17, 2025: The Pop Rocks

I remember it well. The secret exchange at the border of our yards.

My neighbor, four years older, introduced me to a mysterious substance. A candy.

The name? Pop Rocks.

I scooped a handful into my mouth, and suddenly, it was like trying an illicit drug. Fireworks on my tongue. The fizzle, the sizzle. Popping and crackling. Tiny eruptions of sugar and carbon dioxide. And I was hooked.

Then came the dangerous thrill. Word spread fast: mixing Pop Rocks with soda could make children explode. Only the bravest kids dared to risk it, wearing their courage as a badge of honor.

Today, I stumbled across an article about the candy. And just like that, the craving was back. The last time I took a hit? Probably 1982.

Maybe I should live on the edge again. The wild side. The taste of rebellion. Maybe I’ll even ride my ten-speed without a helmet. Hide the women and children.